1. Chapter One #2
She pulls me into her arms and holds me tight.
“I know. This is why I had to warn you. It’s breaking my heart but Sienna, you need to be safe.
Being married to Dante will kill you. I just know it.
You’re fragile and he’s insane. It won’t end well.
Gabriel himself is insane for even thinking it. So please, tell your mom. Leave.”
I know Luciana would never lie to me. Everything she is saying is true and the desperation in her voice tells me I need to listen. Mafia men won’t stop coming by. The only way out is to leave this life behind.
But leaving the mafia is hard. There will be people tracking us. Hunting us down. Can I put myself and my mother through that kind of life forever? We have a lot of money from my dad but it’s only so much. Eventually, it will run out. Can this really be our future?
After Luciana leaves, I tell my mother everything.
She leans against the kitchen counter with a heavy sigh. “I was afraid this day would come. I can’t believe Gabriel. He was always kind to me and your father. The fact that he would do this to you, my own daughter, is despicable.”
“I have never met Dante but I know he’s crazy from what Luciana told me.”
“I know. You can’t marry a man like that. I won’t allow it.” With a firm nod, she stands up straighter. “Then we have to leave. Start packing tonight. We’ll need new IDs. New passports. New everything if we’re going to escape.”
“Can we really? Most people can’t leave the mafia world behind.”
“We have no choice. We have to leave within the next few days. We can’t risk it.” She grips my arms and looks me dead in the eye. “We have to be brave, Sienna. I need you to be brave for me just like I will be brave for you.”
“Ok,” I whisper, hating how weak my voice is. “I’ll try.”
“Don’t try. Now, start packing. I’ll handle everything else.”
The moment she lets me go, I waver on my feet.
My entire life has changed in the matter of minutes.
Ever since my dad died a month ago. He caused all of this to happen.
All because of a heart attack from all the steak he would eat.
Maybe if he had had a cleaner diet he wouldn’t have died so soon and I would be safe.
I walk upstairs, feeling like a zombie, as my world collapses around me.
Dante
It’s fun setting fire to things. Especially to drugs that just came in from a shipment.
Bouts of cocaine just blown up. I laugh to myself as I drive away from the scene of the crime.
Gabriel Romano will be out millions in a matter of seconds.
It’s a good feeling, causing chaos. There’s no reason for me to do it other than I just enjoy it.
I can still feel the sensation in my feet from where I kicked Matteo Marani so hard, he almost died. But he didn’t die. That fucker and his wife got away. Saved by Gabriel Romano himself – head of the fucking mafia in Florence.
But I don’t want to stand for that. It’s time I rise up and take over. This city could use a new boss.
The sound of a muffled whimper makes me look into the backseat. The guard outside the warehouse where the drugs were is now in my backseat, bound and tied with a rag in his mouth. I could have easily killed him but I thought torture would be more fun.
Torture is always more fun.
But what’s no fun is showing up at my restaurant, ready to take the guard into the kitchen and torture him all night, and seeing Gabriel Romano himself standing by the front door.
The ugly scar on his face doesn’t detract from his good looks.
The fucker is handsome, I’ll give him that.
My own looks have been praised many times from my dark, wavy hair to my strong jaw.
I don’t need to be insecure around other men. I live my own life for myself.
Slowly, I get out of my car with my gun in my hand. My curiosity is winning out instead of my chaotic nature. I want to know why Gabriel is here.
“What?” I snap.
Gabriel raises his hands in surrender. It’s then I notice he has three other men with him. They all come circling around me. All with guns. It’s a pointed gesture. I’m out numbered right now. Fuck.
“I am here to offer you a deal,” Gabriel says.
“What deal?” I spit out.
“The kind where you marry a woman of my choosing for peace.”
It takes me a second to understand what he’s saying and when it hits me, a loud, crazy laugh escapes my mouth. “You want me to marry some random woman? Why?”
“For peace,” he says through gritted teeth.
“You’re becoming a pain in my ass, Dante.
I would prefer us to be friends then enemies.
A marriage deal is a sign of trust. I offer up one of my men’s daughters to you.
And you marry her and then we can have peace.
We don’t have to fight. We can share in wealth.
You can become even more wealthy than you are now. ”
“But see, the thing is, I’m already loaded. So I don’t need your money.”
Gabriel approaches me until we’re toe-to-toe. I can smell the peppermint on his breath. “You will end up dead if you continue down this path. I have more resources then you do. I could easily kill you right now. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“So what’s stopping you?”
“Because I don’t know how loyal your men are. I don’t want a war on my hands. A peace deal benefits all of us.”
“Who’s the poor woman you plan on giving to me?”
“Sienna Lanza. Her father, Carlo, was a high ranking mafia man.”
I lift one eyebrow. “Was?”
“Carlo is dead now. A heart attack. But Sienna has a good standing within the mafia. She’s a prized pony. A lot of men want her but she hasn’t agreed to any marriage yet. You can marry her.”
“Is she pretty?”
Gabriel hesitates before nodding. “Very. It’s partly why a lot of men want her. What do you say?”
“What do I say?” I scoff. “You think I’m just going to marry some random woman you’ve chosen for me. This is so you can keep me on a leash. But I’m not going to remain on a leash, Gabriel.”
“If you don’t agree to this, Dante, I will kill you right now.”
I can tell Gabriel isn’t bluffing. The only way out of this is to agree but that doesn’t mean I have to actually mean it.
“Fine,” I grit out. “I’ll agree to a deal with you. A marriage deal.”
“Great.” Except, Gabriel’s face does not look happy. “I’ll get everything arranged. I look forward to working with you.” He extends his hand out to me.
After a beat, I take it.
But it’s all a lie. I am not going to be forced into a marriage deal just so Gabriel can keep me on a leash. I am too chaotic and free for that.
Once Gabriel and his men leave, I have more time to think about his words. Sienna Lanza, he said. Gabriel, even if it wasn’t his intention, has spiked my curiosity.
I think it’s time I learn who this Sienna Lanza is.